Dear Nature Challenge Champion,
Many Canadians use toxic pesticides to keep their yards looking good. But we don’t have to endanger our health and harm nature to have beautiful yards.
By following the tips in this newsletter, you can start making a difference immediately. Our gardens and children will thank us for it. 
PS: Be sure to check out our exciting Nature Challenge video! (5.5MB Windows RealMedia Player)
Contents (links may not work for older browsers - please scroll instead)
- Get your garden off chemicals!
- Protect yourself from West Nile Virus
- Canadian of the month
- Truly green lawn care
- Go native in the garden
- Build backyard biodiversity
- Be your own natural plant doctor
- Veggie gardening tips
- Water wisely!
- Composting: Creating healthy soils
- Encourage your city to ban pesticides
Get your garden off chemicals!
Insects and pesticides are designed to kill organisms such as weeds, bugs and fungi. But these dangerous chemicals can have unexpected results:
- Pesticides are toxic to many forms of life. Beneficial insects such as ladybugs and honeybees can be killed by pesticides which can lead to worse insect problems in the future.
- Pesticide residues can accumulate in the food chain. These traces may cause damage to birds, fish and other forms of animal life. In many cases these side effects are not immediately apparent, but may show up later, for example, in the abnormal eggs of birds that have eaten pesticide-laced insects.
Children are especially at risk from pesticides and are much more susceptible to these chemicals than adults. Kids have more skin area relative to body volume than adults and their skin may be more permeable to pesticides. Young kids also tend to play for hours in the yard, putting dirty fingers, other objects and dirt in their mouths.
- Pesticides don’t remain on your lawn and garden. Stormwater runoff carries toxins into nearby streams, rivers and lakes harming fish and other water wildlife. These water bodies may also be the source of your drinking water.
- Many pesticides contain ingredients known or suspected of causing cancer. Studies also suggest strong associations between pesticides and other serious health consequences.
For more pesticide info:
Potential effects of pesticides on health
Canadian Cancer Society position on ornamental use of pesticides
Protect yourself from West Nile Virus
With the dreaded West Nile Virus threatening Canadians this summer, here are some steps you can take to fight mosquitos and protect the health of you and your loved ones:
For more mosquito info:
US Environmental Protection Agency – How to Control Them
 |
|
Two-year-old Wyatt of Cold Lake, AB stops to smell the flowers. |
Canadian of the Month: Wyatt Johnson-Turnbull
Wyatt’s mom, Kelly, is a middle school science teacher who teaches her students about the importance of appreciating nature and biodiversity, our reliance on natural resources and ways to reduce our impact on nature.
We’re thrilled that the Johnson-Turnbull family is taking the Nature Challenge. You’re never too old — or too young – to appreciate nature!
Truly green lawn care
Healthy soil is alive with bacteria and organisms that break down organic matter, make nutrients available for plant uptake and aerate the earth. In organic lawn care, gardeners nourish the soil instead of using chemicals-- which decrease soil’s biological activity. A chemical-free lawn may mean a lighter green colour and longer grass. But you’ll have a lawn that's healthier for you and the environment.
Another thing to consider when gardening are greenhouse gases. (These gases come from the burning of fossil fuels and trap the sun’s heat in the lower atmosphere, which in turn, causes climate change.) In the garden, you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by cutting the grass with a push mower, using a rake instead of a leaf blower, and trimming hedges with clippers instead of power tools.
According to one study, using a power mower for one hour releases the pollution equivalent of driving 563 kilometres in a car.
Go native in the garden
Most Canadian gardens are full of imported plants that require extra fertilizers and water to aid growth. Luckily, there’s a better way to garden: go native!
Native plants are the trees, bushes, flowers and grasses that have grown wild in your area for centuries. Since they’re already adapted to the local environment, they require less maintenance. By designing your garden with native plants and vegetation you’ll reduce the need for fertilizer, pesticides and extra water.
Well-designed native gardens are also less susceptible to diseases and pests because the plants have evolved with local insects, plants and climatic conditions.
More native plant info:
Go for Green Factsheet: Gardening with Native Plants
Canadian Wildlife Federation-Gardening Gab
Canadian Museum of Nature – Native Plant Gardening
Build backyard biodiversity
While some insects and birds can be a problem in your garden, others play an important role in pollination and in pest control. Most flowering plants, for example, depend on pollinators such as bees to help in fertilization. Other beneficial insects prey on garden pests. Predators such as ladybugs, dragonflies and wasps will only lay eggs where there are plenty of aphids to feed their young.
The problem with using pesticides is that they kill not only the pest species but also the pollinators and predators. With a non-chemical approach to gardening, you can begin to increase the biological diversity in your backyard.
Creating a garden attractive to pollinators and predators requires some planning. But you’ll quickly discover a healthy garden that’s in harmony with its native ecosystem.
For more information visit Wild About Gardening.
Be your own natural plant doctor
Sick plants? Don’t fret. Here are some home remedies for common gardening ailments:
Don't forget! Most bugs do little or no harm in the garden. In fact, most are beneficial. So before you try to control or eliminate an insect, first determine its effect on your garden.
For more information:
Organic Alternatives to Herbicides and Pesticides
Effective Pest Control Without Chemical Pesticides
Living without Pesticides (PDF)
Water wisely!
Canadians are the second highest per capita users of water in the world. On average we use an astounding 335 litres per household each day. According to Environment Canada, water use increases by as much as 50 per cent in the Summer, due in large part to our gardening. We can each make a difference in conserving water:
For more water conservation tips, visit:
Water-Wise Gardening
Veggie Gardening Tips
"Companion planting" is the latest trend in organic gardening. Vegetables and flowers have different odours and root secretions that are believed to affect the activity of insects and the growth of nearby plants. This is especially important in vegetable gardens where pesticides directly affect the food you grow and eat. Companion planting is also helpful in improving soil quality.
Gardeners through time have found that specific flowers and vegetables make good growing companions. For instance, planting marigolds deters roundworms and attracts bees that help pollinate your precious veggies.
For more veggie growing tips:
Food Share – Info on community gardening and urban agriculture
Composting: Making Soils Healthy
One of the best ways to avoid using pesticides is to have healthy soil. And making healthy soil is as easy as adding compost.
In spring, dig the compost into the soil, and in the summer and fall, sprinkle the compost on top of your garden. Many municipalities offer commercial compost bins for free, and you can easily purchase or build your own.
For best results, be sure to mix ‘green’ materials such as grass clippings and food wastes with ‘brown’ materials such as dead leaves, kitchen vegetable scraps and sawdust.
For the real dirt, visit Composting Council of Canada.
Get your city involved
Health concerns about the use of pesticides have led many communities to prohibit them for cosmetic or aesthetic purposes. The Canadian Cancer Society has called for a ban on the cosmetic use use of many pesticides.
Learn more about this and how your city can become part of this positive trend:
Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (Click on English tab in menu bar)
Green Communities Association – Pesticide Free Naturally
Sierra Club of Canada – Pesticide Bylaws
Aphid infestation: spray the plant’s leaves with a mixture of soap and water. A strong spray of plain water from a hose will often be sufficient. Also try planting chives and garlic to repel aphids. 
